Topic: Hackers steal Google Mail passwords (TinyURL, ViddyHo)

[Samker]

Criminals have carried out an attack on Google Mail users in an attempt to steal their usernames and passwords.

The phishing attack was carried out through the Google Talk instant messaging service. Phishing attacks involve criminals trying to trick victims into visiting a fake website so that they can harvest their usernames and passwords for valuable internet services, such as online banking. In this case instant messages invited users to view a video by clicking on a link, which was disguised using the TinyURL service.

The links directed users to a website called ViddyHo, which asked them to enter their Google Mail usernames and passwords in order to gain access to the video. TinyURL has now blacklisted the site, so the link will no longer work.

If you've already been deceived into clicking on the link, act quickly and change your password before hackers can abuse your log in details. If you use the same password with other services, then change these passwords too and choose something other than your Google Mail password this time. According to Sophos, 41 per cent of people use the same password for every website that they access.

"Potentially, a hacker who has grabbed your Google Mail password could have accessed your entire address book and scooped up all of your correspondence - including information that you may have archived about other online accounts," warned Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos.

(MacUser)